GWU Track & Field Kicks Off 2011 at the Appalachian Opener
January 16, 2011 | Track & Field
Boone, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs kicked off 2011 with 19 top-10 finishe, including a record-setting throw by redshirt-senior Christoph Hutschalik in the weight throw event, at the Appalachian Opener hosted by the Mountaineers of Appalachian State in Boone, N.C. on Saturday, January 15th.
On the women's side, Gardner-Webb picked up 11 top-10 finishes on the day.
Gardner-Webb picked up two top-five finishes in the women's pole vault event, as Carrie Long took second-place with a height of 3.51 meters, while sophomore Taylor Cook placed third with a mark of 3.21 meters.
GWU's Ann Marie Howell and Sarah Herd each finished in a five-way tie for third-place in the high jump event, as both cleared the bar at 1.58 meters.
Sophomore thrower Ashlei Alexander took fourth-place overall in the women's shot put event, turning in a mark 12.75 meters, while newcomer Kyntoya Hansford placed eighth overall in the weight throw event with a toss of13.38 meters.
In the 55 meter hurdles, Kristen Hurley took 10th-place with her time of 9.06, while in the 800 meter run, junior Cherish Richardson crossed the finish line in sixth-place with a time of 2:30.02.
Gardner-Webb placed two runners in the top-10 in the 3000 meter run, as sophomore Ariel Zimmerman finished fourth with a time of 10:45.80, just ahead of teammate Diana Palka who crossed the finish line in sixth-place with her time of 10:56.07.
The women's team also picked up a top-10 finish in the 4x400 meter relay, as the unit of Katy Milton, Hurley, Olivia Moody and Katie Spiro placed 10th overall with their time of 4:20.50.
Not to be out done, the men's team posted eight top-10 finishes on Saturday afternoon.
GWU started off with two top-10 finishes in the men's shot put event, as newcomer Carson Sears took fifth with a mark of 14.41 meters, edging out teammate Travis Rogers who placed sixth with a distance of 14.25 meters.
Sears went on to pick up a sixth-place finish in the weight throw event, turning in a throw of 16.11 meters, while redshirt-senior Christoph Hutschalik finished in second-place overall with a toss of 17.90 meters, setting a new GWU school record in the event.
In the men's high jump event, freshman Terry Davis cleared the bar at 1.83 meters to finish in a tie for fifth, while in the 55 meter hurdle finals, Jonathan Parks took third-place with a time of 7.74, crossing the finish line just ahead of teammate Johnathan Rucker who placed fourth with his time of 7.78.
Like the women's team, the men's team also picked up a top-10 finish in the 4x400 meter relay event, as the team of Rucker, Evan Brusich, Davis and Galen Keene crossed the line in sixth-place with a time of 3:28.82.
The Gardner-Webb indoor track & field teams will return to Boone, N.C. next Saturday, January 22nd, to take part in the Mountaineer Opener.
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